| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: prove the like again--is it not just that you and we should lend them
all countenance and goodwill? Nay, even for us their allies' sake, who
are present, it would be worth your while to manifest this goodwill.
Need you be assured that precisely those who continue faithful to them
in their misfortunes would in like manner be ashamed not to requite
you with gratitude? And if we seem to be but small states, who are
willing to share their dangers with them, lay to heart that there is a
speedy cure for this defect: with the accession of your city the
reproach that, in spite of all our assistance, we are but small
cities, will cease to be.
"For my part, men of Athens, I have hitherto on hearsay admired and
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: "I should not have been surprised if you had not cared to meet
me. I'm used to everything. You have been ill? Yes, you are
changed," said Anna.
Kitty felt that Anna was looking at her with hostile eyes. She
ascribed this hostility to the awkward position in which Anna,
who had once patronized her, must feel with her now, and she felt
sorry for her.
They talked of Kitty's illness, of the baby, of Stiva, but it was
obvious that nothing interested Anna.
"I came to say good-bye to you," she said, getting up.
"Oh, when are you going?"
Anna Karenina |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: my horse, and then I lost again. In brief, I regained your
harness and then mine. That's where we are. That was a superb
throw, so I left off there."
D'Artagnan breathed as if the whole hostelry had been removed
from his breast.
"Then the diamond is safe?" said he, timidly.
"Intact, my dear friend; besides the harness of your Bucephalus
and mine."
"But what is the use of harnesses without horses?"
"I have an idea about them."
"Athos, you make me shudder."
The Three Musketeers |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: houses, all built in the quaint Oz fashion. In the course of a few
hours, however, they had left the tilled fields and entered the
Country of the Winkies, which occupies a quarter of all the territory
in the Land of Oz but is not so well known as many other parts of
Ozma's fairyland. Long before night the travelers had crossed the
Winkie River near to the Scarecrow's Tower (which was now vacant) and
had entered the Rolling Prairie where few people live. They asked
everyone they met for news of Ozma, but none in this district had seen
her or even knew that she had been stolen. And by nightfall they had
passed all the farmhouses and were obliged to stop and ask for shelter
at the hut of a lonely shepherd. When they halted, Toto was not far
The Lost Princess of Oz |
